Catch Me, I'm Falling for You
by yuuri727
Summary: Mikan realizes her love for Natsume. Persona also assigns them on a dangerous mission to save the academy. They can only stop Reo with the love necklace, a necklace that needs a special bond between the bearers. Can love develop between them? NxM.
1. Chapter 1: Midnight Catastrophe

**Catch Me, I'm Falling for You**

First Alice Academy fic! I tried my best to make it sound good. Please review. I will be very thankful for it. I accept negative reviews. Don't worry. :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Alice Academy…

Just to tell you, Mikan and Natsume's age is 15. :)

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**Chapter 1: Midnight Catastrophe**

It was at the mid of spring after Mikan and the others graduated. As usual…the cherry blossoms bloomed at their very best color mixture of white and carnation pink. The breeze was chilly yet gentle. The moon shone brightly, signaling a fair night. The black sky was dotted with countless twinkling stars which made each night beautiful. By the cherry blossom tree, a raven-haired boy sat beside it, reading his favorite book. His face was painted with an emotionless expression. He seemed to be enjoying the soft wind sweep through his face. It was silent till someone approached him.

"Hey, Natsume!" a pigtailed teen smiled vibrantly at him.

"Oi, Strawberry pattern, you're still awake?" He teased her, still focusing on the book he was reading.

She pouted childishly "Strawberry pattern?! I have a name. Why don't you call me by it?"

"Whatever." He answered coldly, not bothering to look at her.

She rubbed her arms to keep herself warm. "Could I stay here and talk to you? I can't sleep." She asked.

"Do what you want. I won't stop you." He uttered. His hair flew back and forth and he looked so innocent. Mikan felt her cheeks blush.

Mikan sat on the opposite side of the tree where Natsume was seated. She looked up the sky and smiled.

"You know…I'm really fascinated with the stars. Before I went to this academy, my grandpa used to tell me stories about how the stars were formed, or I'd just go with Hotaru and make our own opinions about it." She was still rubbing her arms for warmth.

Natsume gathered a small pile of twigs then snapped his fingers. Instantly, it was on fire. He looked at Mikan. "You're freezing, right?"

"Thanks." She yawned. Her eyes started to close slowly.

"Are you sure you're not sleepy? Or you're scared of sleeping alone in your room?" Mikan responded to his second opinion.

"Sheesh. When will you ever grow up?" he rolled his eyes.

She rested her head on the soft grass and easily fell asleep.

"Guess I'm staying here tonight." He closed his book and drifted to sleep by the tree trunk.

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At the middle of the night, Mikan woke up with the sound of a huge explosion.

"What the? Natsume?" She saw Natsume looking at her. "What's going on?"

"There's a huge explosion. So you heard it to. I think it came from the building. He stood up. "Let's check it out."

Mikan also stood up and followed Natsume. When they got to the main building, there was thick smoke contaminating the air. Hotaru, Ruka and Tsubasa were standing there motionlessly.

"Ruka? Hotaru? Tsubasa? Why are they standing there?" She ran to their direction and called them. "What's happening?"

They looked at her evilly. Ruka stepped forward and called the animals behind him. "Attack her." The animals glared at her as if they were gonna tear her in half. She moved backward…"Why?" She uttered.

Just before the beasts attacked her, Natsume was able to save her. He jumped up a tall building then placed her pigtailed friend down.

"They're hypnotized. Isn't it obvious?" He was still emotionless, but you could tell he was worried. Hotaru got a remote control from her backpack the started launching sharp objects at them.

"Ride on, we have to get out of here." He carried her piggyback style. "Hold on tight." He jumped from building to building, trying to avoid the objects that Hotaru launched.

"Don't let them get away." Tsubasa ordered.

"I'm scared…" Mikan closed her eyes and tightened her grip on Natsume.

"Just hold on tight, Mikan. You'll be okay." He comforted. Mikan blushed. Somehow, she felt safe knowing Natsume was on her side. She then knew it. She had feelings for him.

When they passed the gate, the raven haired boy loosened one arm. "This is it. Hold on tight." He created a fire barrier so they won't be able to catch them, for now.

"What are you doing?!" Mikan yelled.

"Don't worry. They won't die." He replied calmly.

They safely landed on the ground. The pigtailed teen jumped down her friend's back.

"What happened to the academy?" she spoke sadly.

"Who could've done it? They were manipulated! I'm sure of it!" he shouted.

There was a sudden change of aura surrounding the environment. A man in a mask appeared to them.

"Persona…" Natsume whispered.

"You're right. They were manipulated. Reo did this. He controlled every student and facility in the academy. You were in the woods so you weren't affected. Your mission is to put an end to this. If you don't act soon, Reo might use them for bad purposes. Although, I'll tell you this is a dangerous mission. He has the Alice students in his hands. I bid you good luck." He explained.

Mikan gave a disappointed look. "That's a hopeless mission! How can Natsume do it alone?! Natsume versus Reo and the academy?! He might…"

"I'm ready for it. Don't worry." He said coldly.

Persona threw two necklaces at them, each with a small half-heart pink charm. The two of them examined it mysteriously.

"It's a love necklace. Use it to stop Reo. Only love can stop hatred and anger from overflowing. Take note, you can't just use it anytime you want. There should be a special bond between the two bearers. The bond is not friendship. It's something more than that." Natsume blushed with that statement.

"What's so special about this?" she asked curiously.

"Once the two bearers unite it, they could merge souls which can make one powerful. In your case, you have the nullification Alice. If you merge that charm with Natsume's, your soul will merge with his. As a result, Natsume will be able to use your Alice, along with his." He answered.

"I know you. There should be a consequence during the process. What is it?" Natsume questioned. He knew every time Persona would give him something, there were always side effects.

"Once the process is complete, Mikan's soul…can never return back to her body." He replied coldly. He didn't care much about them.

"What?..." Mikan looked down.

"As of now, that charm is powerless. It will glow as soon as your bond is strong enough." He gave them a small envelope. "Here are 70,000 rabbits. Use it wisely. Reo is somewhere at the southern region of the continent, by the deep depths of darkness. Good luck." He disappeared into thin air.

"I'm not letting you come with me, Mikan." The raven-haired teen uttered.

"What?? Why?! There's no way I'm letting you go on your own! They're my friends too! Why wont you-" Natsume cut her off.

"Didn't you hear? It's gonna cost you your life! You think I'll ever forgive myself if you died?! It's my mission…and I don't want you to get involved in it." He yelled harshly.

"You're so selfish! It's always about 'I don't want you involved' or always being worried that we'd put our lives in jeopardy! You always thought about how you would feel. Did you ever think what we would feel if you died?!" tears started to stream down her face. "I'm here, Natsume. Don't keep the pain all to yourself…"

"Why are you saying this?" Natsume walked closer. Without a word, Mikan ran towards him and hugged him tightly. She buried her face on his shoulder.

"Catch me…Natsume…I'm falling for you." She whispered softly crying on his shoulder.

Natsume felt his cheeks warming up. He knew that his feelings for Mikan were not that special, but he cared for her a lot. He lifted her chin gently. Her face was covered in tears. He got his handkerchief and wiped it.

He smiled at her. "Stop crying. You'll make me worry more." Mikan smiled back at him then broke the hug.

"You're an idiot. You'd risk your life for this." He gave her the handkerchief.

"It's better than losing you." She answered playfully. They clasped the necklace Persona gave them. "So…where do we start?"

"Let's go to central town. We'll stock up first." He smirked. Mikan nodded in agreement.

They started walking…

"Hey, Natsume…what's that bond Persona was talking about?" Mikan asked curiously.

"Love, Mikan. It's love." The two of them blushed with that statement as they continued their way to Central town. Not knowing what adventure lies ahead of them.

**-Chapter End-**

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Well? What do you think? I know it's corny…but…oh well. Please review! I might learn my bad points in writing a story. Thanks for reading. :) till the next chapter. :)


	2. Chapter 2: At Central Station

**Catch Me, I'm Falling for You**

Here. As requested…Chapter 2!! Uhmm…its school again so…Don't expect quick updates…Please be patient…Anyway… thank you for your support. :) Here, is chapter 2!! Enjoy!

Natsume: yuuri727 doesn't own Gakuen Alice.

Mikan: What are disclaimers for?

Natsume: You're old! You should know.

Mikan: Uhhh….I don't…

Natsume: Whatever, on with it, Yuuri.

Yuuri: Uhhh…okay…?

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**Chapter 2: At Central Town**

Somewhere by the city, the duo continued their way to Central Town. Mikan broke the silence.

"Uhhh…Natsume…just wondering…why we are going to Central own in a time like this?" she scratched her head.

"Central Town is open 24/7, Polkadots. And besides, we can't just go around in our uniforms…or should I say…pajamas?" he smirked the fact Mikan was wearing her night gown. "Also, Hotaru and the others are still after us. We have to get away from them as far as possible."

"Fine. Fine. Then where?" she asked in a stubborn mood.

"We'll know when we get there. Let's go, Polkadots." He teased.

"I told you!! I'm NOT Polkadots!! Stop saying that!!" she pouted.

"What? Polkadots?" he teased again.

"Yes!! Polkadots! I hate that name! Why can't you just call me Mikan?!?!" she said loudly.

"Whatever. Fighting with you is pointless." He walked ahead of her a little faster.

"Remind me again why I fell for you…" she moped.

"Dunno. Try asking yourself. You're the one who's in love." He answered coldly.

"I hate it when you close the conversation." She frowned.

"I hate it when you start a conversation." He blocked her again.

"Natsume…Have you ever fell in love?" she questioned curiously.

He raised an eyebrow. "Why ask so suddenly?"

"I-I…well…I was just asking! It's just a yes or no!" She turned her head to the opposite side to hide her blushing cheeks.

"Maybe." He murmured.

"Really? With who? How long? Do you still love her?" she bounced excitedly.

He blushed. "Don't push your luck, and as much as possible, I want to avoid unnecessary confrontations. Like this one."

"Whatever, meanie!" she stuck her tongue out at him playfully.

After seemingly an hour, Mikan began to walk drowsily and her vision started to blur.

"Are…we…there…yet?" her eyes were about to close but she bumped on Natsume's back and on the ground.

"What's the hold up?!" she rubbed her eyes to see well. Her raven-haired friend helped her up.

"We're here." He pointed to the sign which says 'Central Town.'

Mikan's eyes widened when she saw the beautiful sight of Central Town, bright lights covered the buildings, there were different assortments of stores and there were a lot of people, buzzing as thy entered and left each stores.

"Wow…it's amazing!" she gazed around, fascinated the view. Natsume messed up her hair.

"Told ya, Central Town never sleeps. Now, let's find a department store. You look ridiculous."

"Ha-ha. I forgot how to laugh, and you really didn't have to mess up my hair." She uttered sarcastically, fixing her pigtails. "Hey look, I think that's a store for clothes." She pointed to a shop nearby.

"What are we waiting for? Let's get going." They both walked to the store.

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Inside the store…

"Well…Buy what you have to. Meet me here in 20 minutes." He trotted away to the men's department.

Mikan wandered through the store. There were a lot of clothes there, each in a unique style. She had to choose one.

"What should I pick? This one or this or…sheesh. Anything would do." She got some clothes and started trying them out.

After 20 minutes…Natsume arrived at their meeting spot wearing a pair of jeans, a plain blue shirt and a jacket 10 shades lighter that his shirt. After a short while, Mikan appeared wearing a pink halter, covered by a pink jacket, a plain white miniskirt and pink sneakers to match her top.

"You done?" his cheeks started warming up again; he had to admit that she looked cute in her outfit.

"Yup, I'm done." She smiled widely.

They paid for their things and left the store. They stopped by the fountain to discuss where they were going.

"Okay, now, we're going to the train station. We'll head to the nearest dock. Persona said that Reo's hiding at the southern part of the continent, so…we'll get there by boat." Natsume interpreted. Mikan doesn't seem focused with the topic. "Something bothering you?" he asked.

"I'm worried. I hope Ruka, Hotaru, and the others are okay." She frowned.

"They'll be fine. Trust me. Right now, we should be headed to the train station. Let's go.

"How long will the trip be?" she questioned.

"It depends." He smirked.

Mikan grabbed his hand and started running. "I'm excited. We better hurry or else we'll be late." She smiled.

Natsume blushed again. _"Why do I keep blushing when I see her smile? No…Falling in love would be the last thing I'll ever prioritize." _He thought. "Polkadots! You run too fast! He yelled.

"You're too slow!" she laughed childishly, running like 7-year old kids across Central Town.

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When they arrived at the train station, Natsume bought their tickets then entered the steaming train. There were only a few people riding it though. The tired duo sat lazily on their assigned seat. Natsume sat by the window. After a few minutes, the train started to move. Mikan already fell asleep but her head kept swaying back and forth.

"You're really tired huh?" he stared at her sheepishly. "I understand. You're not used to this." When looked back at the window, Mikan's head fell on his shoulders, her arm wrapped around his. She finally fell asleep peacefully.

"Thank you, Natsume" she whispered sleepily.

**Thu-Thump! Thu- Thump!**

Natsume felt his heart beating really fast and he blushed 10 shades of red. He looked back outside the window. Thoughts suddenly started flowing in his mind…

"_You're so selfish! It's always about 'I don't want you involved' or always being worried that we'd put our lives in jeopardy! You always thought about how you would feel. Did you ever think what we would feel if you died?!"_

"_I'm here, Natsume. Don't keep the pain all to yourself…"_

"_Catch me…Natsume…I'm falling for you."_

"_You're an idiot. You'd risk your life for this."_

"_It's better than losing you."_

"_Love, Mikan. It's love."_

"_Natsume…Have you ever fell in love?"_

He shook his head. "Damn. Maybe I just need some rest. It's been a busy night…I'm thinking too much." He closed his eyes and leaned on Mikan's head. Not long, he also fell asleep. What they didn't know is, their love charms started glowing lightly.

**-Chapter End-**

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Yuuri: How was it? How was it?! I really wanna hear from you!! bounces happily

Natsume: In short she wants you to review.

Mikan: Why do I end up with Natsume?!

Natsume: Shut up.

Yuuri: Please stay tuned for the next chapter. I can't promise to have a quick update but I'll really try my best to update. Thanks a lot for reading:) See you next chapter! wink


	3. Chapter 3: Marionette Train

**Catch Me, I'm Falling for You**

Reading your reviews made me cry…You know?? Seriously, I appreciate it! I saw 5 reviews at once!! Well to make it up…I'm updating:) Well…enjoy! Thank you soo much for reading and reviewing:) I'll try to make this chapter long.

Disclaimer: I do not own Gakuen Alice.

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**Chapter 3: Marionette Train**

Somewhere at Reo's hideout…The three students reported what happened during that night. Reo looked at them angrily.

"You failed to catch them?! You good for nothing worthless fools!" he hollered at them.

"We're terribly sorry, boss. We won't fail again." The blue eyed animal lover apologized.

"You better not! Hotaru, do you have any leads where they are?" he glared impatiently at her.

She quickly brought out her radar and showed it to him. "I can see that they are on a train. Probably headed for the nearest dock, but don't worry. It might take them days to get there."

Reo smirked when an idea suddenly came into mind. "Hey fortune teller, tell me, what did Persona give those brats?"

"He gave them a love necklace, a necklace that allows the two bearers to merge souls. Thus, it makes them more powerful than their ordinary self. If they succeed on using it, they will be able to stop you." She interpreted.

"Is that so…Hey, you three…Forget about catching Natsume for now. I want you to focus on bringing that nullifier to me, but do that when their bond is that strong enough. For now, your mission is, destroy that train. Make sure that they will go here on foot. Is that clear?" he explained. "Don't fail me this time."

"Yes sir." They bowed then made their may to their designated mission.

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It was still dark when Mikan's eyes opened slowly, wondering what the heavy weight on her head was. Carefully, she titled her head and saw Natsume sleeping soundly. Their faces were inches apart. It made her blush.

"He must've been tired from last night. Hmmm…might as well get us something to eat." She moved slowly, not wanting to wake her friend up. She gently lifted his head, stood up then placed it on her seat. When Natsume was in the proper position, Mikan walked swiftly to the food cart.

In there, you could count the number of people sitting, having breakfast or reading a newspaper. In the corner, she saw different kinds of baked goods like cakes, pies, doughnuts, and more.

"Wow…everything looks delicious!!" she bent down and leaned her hands on the glass. She looked at the pastries hungrily.

"Excuse me, May I help you?" The salesman approached her, wiping his hands with a clean, dry cloth.

"Ummm….I want this one, no, this one, uhh…never mind, I'll just take that…but, maybe I'll just take this…no…" Mikan kept changing her mind. She wanted to try everything.

"Give me a box of those doughnuts please." A guy with chocolate brown hair ordered. He seemed to have the same age as Mikan. She looked at him mysteriously.

"Yes sir. I'll serve your order in 5 minutes. Anything else?" he started pressing buttons on the cash register.

"That would be all. Thanks." He uttered.

"That would be 100 rabbits sir." He paid the man, and turned to Mikan, who was looking at him.

"Is there a problem?" he asked politely.

"Uhh…No! Not at all." She answered.

"Hi. I'm Shigeru Yatate. Pleased to meet you." He smiled and extended his hand.

She gave him a handshake. "Hello. I'm Mikan, Mikan Sakura. Pleased to meet you too." She gave him her 'cute' smile. The brunette blushed lightly.

"Here's you order sir. Thank you. Please come again." The man handed him the box of doughnuts he ordered. He directly gave it to Mikan.

"You can have it." He smiled.

"Really? Thanks. Well…I should be going back to my se-" he cut her off.

"Are you traveling alone? Wanna take a walk? I'll show you around." He asked curiously.

"No thanks, I really have to get back to Natsume. Uhmm…It was nice meeting you. Thanks for the doughnuts." She carefully made her way back to the cart.

"Is Natsume your boyfriend?" he suddenly questioned.

"No. I'm still single." She crossed the cart slowly then closed the door.

"Single, huh?" he murmured.

Natsume finally woke up. He looked around. Mikan wasn't beside him anymore.

"Good Morning! Did you just wake up?" she greeted cheerfully.

"Where did you go?" he asked getting up slowly.

"I got us some food. You must be hungry." She handed him the box of doughnuts Shigeru gave her. "Actually, it was given to me." She sat down beside him.

"By whom?" he was getting suspicious.

"I think his name was Shigeru. I just met him." She replied innocently.

"Is that so?" He started munching on a doughnut.

"Yup. How much longer is this trip going to be?" she also started munching.

"I think it might take a few days. The dock is far away from here." He gazed at the window.

"Hey, Natsume, let's go to the back cart. I wanna watch the sun rise." She pleaded.

"I really don't enjoy watching the sunrise but…Fine. You just had to pout." The two of them stood up and exited to the back cart.

Outside, the breeze was cool. Their hair flew gently with the wind. There were still a few stars scattered across the sky. The horizon was glowing, almost like it's on fire.

"Mikan, once we get there, there will be no turning back. Are you sure you wanna do this? I mean…your soul…" she hushed him.

"I made this decision the time Persona explained the use of this necklace. I'm sure. I guess my time is limited, huh? Might as well enjoy it." She said softly.

"There's still time. I can do this on my own. I might regret it if I let you do this…maybe you'll regret it…" he said sadly.

"If it means saving a friend, I would give everything. I would gladly give it. I'm like you Natsume. I would never abandon a friend…especially you." They both blushed.

"You know, my grandpa told me something once. When a person dies, they will go back to their original star. There, they'll report the things she/he did on earth. At least, when I die, I have something to be proud of when I return up there." She smiled.

"Before we go there, I wanna take you somewhere. You'll love it." He whispered.

"Really? Where?" She questioned excitedly.

"You'll see." He smirked.

Back inside the cart, Shigeru entered the cart where Mikan and Natsume were.

"_Mikan, Where is she? I have to meet that Natsume she was talking about." _He thought, scanning through the seats searching for Mikan.

He heard voices from behind the door so he opened it. He saw the two stopped talking and looked at him.

"Hey, Mikan." He grinned.

"Uhmm…Natsume, this is Shigeru. Shigeru, this is Natsume." She introduced.

"Pleased to meet you Natsume." He extended his hand at him.

The raven-haired boy just looked back at him. Not bothering to shake hands with him.

He gave an annoyed look. "What do you want?"

Shigeru scratched his head. "Well…I just wanted to talk to Mikan."

"May I help you with something?" she asked more politely than Natsume.

"I…uhhh…" he was cut off when they heard something bump on their cart.

"What was that?!?!?" Mikan trembled. Suddenly, from behind, Tsubasa grabbed her and took her on top of the cart.

"Natsume! Heeellp!" she shrieked.

"Mikan!" The two guys yelled in unision.

Instantly, he jumped up the cart to save Mikan. Tsubasa was there waiting for him. He grasped her neck with his arm.

"Natsume…help me!" she murmured.

"Let's see how you can stop me from controlling you shadow." He bent down and started controlling Natsume's shadow.

"_Damn. I can't move." _He lit up a small amount of flame in his hand to hide his shadow.

"It's useless. Hotaru, stop it." Hotaru splashed a bucket of water so his flames disappeared.

Tsubasa clenched Mikan's collar and placed her at the side of the train. "If you don't get out of that situation in 60 seconds, I throw your girlfriend off the train."

"Tsubasa! Control yourself! I know you're somewhere in there! Get a hold of yourself!!" Mikan shouted.

"It's no use trying to talk him out, Mikan. He's manipulated, so you might as well give it up." Ruka said from the other cart.

"Ruka, please…You can do it! It's your body! Don't let Reo control you!" she screamed.

Tsubasa slapped her face. "I told you to shut up!" There was a red mark indicating the slap he did. Natsume saw tears streaming from her eyes. Anger started to overflow in him, like the time she was slammed by Reo's allies.

"What did you just do?!?!" He yelled. "You made her cry…You made her cry!!!!!!!!!" Flames started bursting out of nowhere, causing a huge explosion.

"Mission complete." He threw Mikan out of the train then jumped on Hotaru's invention. They flew away.

Natsume jumped off the train then wrapped his arms around Mikan. "Hold on." They were able to escape the train before it collapsed into pieces. Mikan did the same.

They landed on the ground, covered in bruises and scars. Luckily, they were still alive.

"Mi-Mikan, are…you okay?" Natsume asked worriedly.

"I-I'm fine. Don't worry." She slowly reached her friend's hand and held it tight.

"No matter what happens…I love you, Natsume." She whispered as they both fell unconscious on the rough ground.

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Whew! I don't know how long this is, and I think it's a bit rushed. Well…That's about it. Comments, suggestions? Review!! I'll be waiting. Thanks for reading. :)


	4. Chapter 4: Love Fever

**Catch Me, I'm Falling for You**

Gomenasai, gomenasai, gomenasai:(( I'm soo sorry for the late update! It's just; school's been tiring, sheeshkabub! Well anyway, I'm still working on this…please…be patient. Your reviews are the only things that keep me going. Thanks for it. :) Again, comments/suggestions, review:) Enjoy! Even if I don't feel like updating, it makes my stomach churn knowing you are reading and supporting me…Thanks a lot!

Blackrose816…Thank you so so much for your continuing support:D

Reika, thanks for the idea! (Wink)

Disclaimer: I do not own Gakuen Alice.

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**Chapter 4: Love Fever**

Natsume woke up on a huge bed. His scars were now covered in bandages and he was wearing blue pajamas. He tried getting up but he could barely move because of pain.

"Where am I? How did I get here?" he struggled to get up again but the pain kept burning inside him. "Damn it. I used too much Alice a while ago when Mikan…Mikan?! Where are you?!" he looked around.

"_No matter what happens…I love you, Natsume"_

He shook his head. "I gotta look for her." He slowly got up and limped his way carefully to and outside the door.

"_If I don't control the use of my Alice, I'll probably die before I get there."_ He thought. his eyebrows kept curving out weird lines as he struggled limping by the hallway.

"_Where…am…I? What just happened? Where did Shigeru end up to? Nggghhh….So…frustrated…What should I do?"_ he kept his balance by keeping one hand to lean on the wall. "I guess that's not important for now. Mikan is my…top priority…for now…" his vision was still blurry when random thoughts of Mikan came flowing back again…

"_Natsume, you idiot!" _

"_As much as I hate saying this, I'll have to say it again. Thank you, Natsume."_

"_You're not such a mean person after all…"_

"_Polkadots?!"_

"_You saw my--?!" _ It was like, a million expressions of Mikan just started flashing in his head…and most of her expressions were…smiling.

Natsume smiled. "It's…amazing…how she…could manage to smile…for someone like…me…Even if…I treated her like she was an animal." After one more step, he felt a doorknob beside him. Again, he slowly opened it and found Mikan tucked neatly in bed, sleeping soundly. She had a few scars and bruises but they weren't that bad. He limped again carefully and sat down beside her.

"You're…okay…" he caressed her cheek with his hand, he could see her breathe slowly and calmly. "Knowing that you're safe…makes me…feel better." he zoomed nearer then he saw the faint glow in Mikan's love necklace.

"Wow…I can't…believe that were actually…starting to bond…." The raven haired boy stood up again but he felt his head crumbling as if there was an earthquake in it. After a few seconds, he collapsed on Mikan's lap, causing her to get up surprisingly.

"Natsume?! What happened?!" she hastily placed her hand on his forehead. "You have fever, HIGH fever!" Mikan stood up quickly then tucked him in bed. She got a damp cloth from the basin at the side table and gently wiped his tomato-red face. She could hear Natsume whine in pain.

"You'll be fine…Just stay calm…You're stressed." She whispered softly. She gazed around the room…wondering how she even got there. The walls were pink, draped with purple curtains and there was a bathroom beside the side table drawer. It was really simple.

"_How did I get here…? What happened to Shigeru? Where am I??" _she thought.

"M-m-m-i-i-k-kan…" the raven-haired boy stammered, reaching his pigtails friend's hand for comfort.

"I'm here. I won't leave you. I promise." She smiled as she squeezed Natsume's hand tightly…

"W-w-where a-are-" he's obviously forcing himself to talk so Mikan hushed him.

"Rest, Natsume. I have no idea where we are either but…I know where somewhere safe. Someone must've found us after the train crashed…or exploded." She concluded. "Please, get some rest, for me." She pleaded. Natsume finally nodded in agreement then drifted off to sleep but still NOT letting go of Mikan's hand. She tried hiding her blush, but it was useless.

"Mikan…once again, Natsume risked his life for you. You're an idiot! Idiot! Idiot! Idiot!" she yelled hitting herself on the head.

"Stop talking to yourself. You sound so awkward." Mikan turned and saw Shigeru leaning by the door way.

"Shigeru? You survived the train crash? How?" she asked curiously.

"That's not important right now. What's wrong with Natsume? How did he get there?" he walked closer.

"I don't know how he got here…but he has fever…" she replied, stroking his raven-colored hair with her other hand. "Oh, is this your house?"

"Y-yes. I found two unconscious on the ground so… I took you home…" he explained shyly.

"I owe you big time, Shigeru… Thanks a lot…" she did her 'cute' smile again. Shigeru couldn't help but blush.

"D-don't mention it…. Uhmm…You need anything else?" he asked trying to hide cover his blushing red cheeks.

"Do you have a fever medicine or something? Natsume's fever isn't gonna lower down if I don't give a medicine." Mikan intertwined her fingers with Natsume's. A bit of jealousy struck her hazel-eyed friend.

"Y-yeah. Just wait here. I'll be right back." He immediately ran out of the room. In a few minutes, he returned with a small bottle and a medicine dropper clenched tightly in his hands. He handed it carefully to her.

"I can't thank you more enough…" she opened the bottle and used the dropper to suck some syrup off. After that, she inserted it slowly inside Natsume's mouth.

Shigeru smirked. "I have to warn you though, that medicine is effective but as for its taste…"

"ssppppffftttt!!!" Natsume spat out the medicine syrup at Mikan's face then got up. "What in hell are you making me drink?!" he howled, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

"It's herb medicine! And you didn't have to spit it out on me! Can't you see I'm trying to get rid of your fever?!" she yelled back.

"You could've at least waked me up!" he replied angrily.

"Natsume…" she looked down sadly. "I just wanted to make you feel better…why do have to be so harsh?" then she glanced at him with teary eyes.

"Oh no…It's gonna take more than a pout to convince me drink that terrible thing." He lied back down facing the other side.

"Natsume! I'm serious! If you don't get better soon, Reo and the others will and will kill us! You think we're even ready to face them?! Hotaru, Ruka, Permy and everyone else are under his control! I thought you wanted to save them?!" she shrieked.

"Fine. Fine. If it's the only thing to stop you from blabbering." He swiped the medicine from Mikan and drank the whole bottle. "There, you happy now?!"

"More than happy, thanks." She smiled.

"Well…do you feel anything?" Shigeru approached him…he looked at him with a seriously evil glare.

"No. How the heck did you survive? That was a huge explosion." He questioned irritably.

"Natsume!" Mikan gave him a grumpy look but he seemed to ignore her.

"Its okay let me explain. Well like you two, I have an Alice. An Alice that is capable of making force fields to defend myself. When the ambush happened, I knew you would hate me more if I stuck my nose in your business so I decided to go inside and save as many people as I can since I thought something bad might happen. Because of the force field, the explosion didn't give us any serious damage. We were near the village so I walked my way there, then, I found you both on the ground. Get it?" he told them detail by detail.

"Whatever. Now, let me get some rest. I'm really tired. Good night!" he covered his head with the blanket signaling them a do-not-disturb gesture.

"Incase you didn't notice, you're sleeping on the bed where I was suppose to rest on." She crossed her arms.

"It's okay…You could go rest in my room if you want." Shigeru offered.

"No!!! Mikan, it's either you sleep here beside me or…you don't rest at all!!!" He scoffed placing a pillow in the middle of the bed.

"And who gave you the right to tell me what to do?! You're not my grandpa!" she fought back.

"Because I'm your partner, whether you like it or not, I'm supposed to take responsibility over you. Now, choose. I don't trust that guy one bit." He answered.

"If it wasn't for him, we'd be stranded in the middle of nowhere!! Hmph. Fine. I'm not gonna rest at all if I have to sleep beside you!" she finally decided as she opened and slammed the door.

"Why are you so hard on her?! Can't you see she's at least trying her best to heal you! Couldn't you even say thank you?! I'd be happy if someone cared for me!" he told him a little harshly.

"Butt off. Not because you have an Alice doesn't mean you could interfere with our mission. Don't think you know me." He replied coldly. "As for Mikan, I'm not stupid. I know you like her but get away from her. After I get better, we'll be leaving."

"Do what you want but you can't stop me from liking her. She's not your girlfriend or anything so you don't have the authority to give me orders like that. If it wasn't for Mikan holding your hand tightly, I wouldn't have brought you here. You have a bad approach on people. You better change that." He said also leaving the room.

"Hmph." He closed his eyes and went to sleep.

In the kitchen, Shigeru saw Mikan cooking hot soup and other simple recipies. He walked closer to her.

"Hey, what are you doing?" he asked smiling.

"I'm cooking something for Natsume. It's dinner anyway." She answered back cheerfully.

"You're not mad at him? After he said those harsh words?" he surprisingly questioned.

"Nah, I've been with him for like, 5 years. Yeah, I know he's cold and harsh at first but…once you get to know him…he's an amazingly loving person…He never abandons someone he considers a friend even if it means giving up his own life for it." She explained, stirring the soup.

"Why is he like that anyway?" he stretched out.

Mikan smiled. "He's been through a lot. He had a dangerous type of Alice so he was sent off in government missions. Well…Let's just say he has gone through a rocky past. That's why the only thing I could do is understand him." She was blushing at 5 shades of red. Shigeru kept blushing as well.

"I see…I'll try my best to understand him too…"

"Thank you, Shigeru." She bowed happily. "Come to think of it…how come I never saw you at Alice Academy?"

"It's for me to know and for you to find out. Really, I can't tell you." He smirked.

"Well…I didn't know I had an Alice in the first place…I came to the academy somehow because I wanted to see my best friend badly…Then, Naru-san discovered there was an Alice within me so…that's about it…" she explained.

"What is this so called 'mission' Natsume was talking about?" he asked curiously.

"We're going to southern part of this continent to find Reo's hideout. A few days ago, he ambushed the whole academy and manipulated them all. Persona, then assigned the both of us to stop him and get things back to normal…"

"But…the two of you…versus the academy? How-" Mikan cut him off.

"We'll do it. Trust me."

"O-okay…If you say so…hmm..Well…I'll just take a shower. I'll leave you here for the moment, okay?" he stepped out.

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After one hour…

The table was now set presentably. The soup steamed and smelled nicely along with the other dishes that Mikan cooked.

"Mikan, you did all of this?" Shigeru looked at the food hungrily.

"Yup! Help yourself. I'll just give this to Natsume." She carried the tray and went up the stairs slowly.

She entered the room and saw Natsume still red and asleep. She placed the tray at the side table then shook him gently.

"Natsume…time to eat…" she whispered softly. He got up slowly and rubbed his eyes for a clearer vision. Mikan placed the tray on his lap so he could eat.

"Polkadots?? You did all of this for me?"

"It was the least I could do after you got damaged because of me…Well then…bon appetite!" she said cheerfully. Natsume tried moving his hand but it seemed to be painful as it moved it. You could see it by his facial expression.

"You can't move? Don't worry…I'll help you with that." She got the bowl and spoon then started feeding Natsume.

"It's good…Who knew someone like you was good at cooking." He said sarcastically. Mikan ignored it and kept smiling, positioning the spoon towards her sick friend's mouth.

He sipped it quietly.

When he was finished eating, Mikan stood up to take the tray back to the kitchen.

"Oi, Polkadots!" Natsume called her. She looked back at him.

"Huh?" she raised an eyebrow.

"Thank you…" He uttered, he felt his cheeks warming up again, and then lied back down in bed.

"Y-your w-welcome." She stammered, blushing as well. "I'll be back, okay?"

"Okay."

"_Natsume…he actually said 'Thank you'….Damn it….I feel I have butterflies in my tummy." _She thought…then she met Shigeru by the stairs.

"Good night, Mikan. Thanks for the dinner." He smiled sleepily. "Watch over Natsume."

"Sure…good night." She continued back down then brought the dishes back to the kitchen. After that she went back up to check on Natsume's fever. She placed her hand again on his forehead. Thank goodness…it lowered down. She got the damp cloth again and placed it on his head. She stretched up and sat on the chair beside the bed.

"You're tired, right?" Natsume commented.

"Yeah." She let a yawn slip then rested her head on her raven-haired friend's arm. "You don't mind if I borrow your arm for the night, right?" She asked sleepily.

"G-go ahead. I don't mind." He smirked.

"Good night…" she murmured before drifting off to sleep. Natsume blushed lightly…

"Night." He slept as well with Mikan's head rested on her arm. Again, the love necklaces' glow became a little brighter than before.

**-End Chapter-**

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Wow! It was a bit longer than I expected it to be!! Well…That's about it! I'll try my best to update sooner, okay? Please bear with me. :) Anyway, comments/ suggestions…I'm open for reviews. Thanks for reading:)


	5. Chapter 5: Think of Me

**Catch Me, I'm falling for you**

Gomenasai….another late update…I just…well…I didn't feel inspired…What is love anyway? (puffff……) Oh well, enjoy! Thank you for reading and reviewing!! This chapters going to be a little short…Sorry! But I promise a long chapter after this one.

Disclaimer: I do not own Gakuen Alice.

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**Chapter 5: Think of Me**

"Shigeru!!!" a picture of Mikan smiled cheerfully.

"Mikan…"

"I…."

"No…"

"She likes Natsume…"

"They've been together for five years…"

"How can I compete with that?..."

"The fact that Natsume also hates me…"

"Maybe…I should just let them be…."

"What could I do?"

"You're giving up that easily?! Oh come on, you could do better than that." A voice called out.

"Huh?...that voice…It sounds familiar…" The next thing he knew, he was on a hill, it was raining, thunder flashed, lightning roared. The sky was pitch dark… "Where am I?" he heard a small a small voice crying, he looked around the dark place and saw an outline of a pigtailed girl…"Mikan!!" he immediately ran toward the crying silhouette…It really was Mikan, soaked under the rain…

"Mikan! What's wrong?! What happened?!" he shook her gently. He didn't care if they were soaking wet. A crash of thunder roared loudly as if it was mad at something.

"S-S-S-hig-e-e-ru…N-natsume…he…he…" she stammered. You couldn't differentiate he tears from the rain, but you can hear the crouch in her voice that she was sobbing.

"Natsume?! What about Natsume?!" he asked, his voice trying to compete with the thunderstorm.

"He…has…someone else…" she whispered. "I'm just a nobody to him!!! It hurts me so much just thinking about it…To think…I loved him so much…I never expected ending up like this…Why?..." Shigeru pulled her into a tight hug; tears started flowing from his eyes.

"Why Natsume, Mikan?! I've been here for you!! I've waited so long! Why are you always thinking of Natsume?! I love you…" he buried his face on her shoulder. "Think of me…I feel the same way you feel right now…" he murmured. The rain poured continuously. The sky seemed to be sad too…

"_Maybe its good staying under the rain…No one can see you crying when you're hurt…also…No one can see me crying because you're hurt…The raindrops hide your tears…Telling someone that you're fine, you're happy. You just smile…even if you're crumbling in pain and sorrow…like they say…One smile, can hide a million tears…Can Mikan be sitting here…because she doesn't want Natsume to worry about her, She just smiles at him…congratulating him even though her heart is pumping out jealousy? That's the way I act when they're together…"_

"Shigeru!!!!"

"_It's hard falling in love with someone…who's in love with someone else…"_

"Shigeru!!!!"

"_Mikan…I won't give up my feelings for you…"_

"SSShhhhhiiiiggggeeeeerrrrrruuuu!!!!!!!"

"_I won't give up…because I love you..."_

"Shigeru-kun!! Hellpp!!"

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He finally woke up…it was about 5:30 in the morning… "It was just a dream…" he uttered softly.

"Shigerrruuu-kun!! Hellpp!" It was Mikan who was calling for him the whole time. Without delay, he got up and quickly made his way to the room where Mikan and Natsume stayed.

"What's wrong?" he asked worriedly. He saw Mikan repeatedly wiping his raven-haired friend's face with a damp cloth.

"Natsume…his fever raised up to the highest level!!! Please call a doctor…" she said with a concerned look painted on her face.

"Mi…kan…" he whispered…he was trembling in pain and his face was redder than before. She held his hand firmly.

"Everything's gonna be okay…I promise…" she gently stroke his dark hair.

Shigeru clenched his fist compactly, trying to prevent his anger from bursting. "Just wait here. I'll call one." He swiftly walked out of the room to the telephone downstairs.

"Thank you, Shigeru-kun"

In about an hour, the doctor arrived and started getting some results from his fever.

"Too much use of Alice…This sickness is something that cannot be cured by an ordinary medicine. Taking him to the hospital will also be useless. If he doesn't get cured within 24 hours…he'll die…practically." The doctor explained sadly.

"What do you mean?!" Mikan questioned a little stubbornly.

"Your boyfriend's in a bad condition…If he doesn't get cured soon…he'll die…" the doctor repeated.

Mikan clenched his collar angrily. "Die?! He can't die!! How can you cure him?! There should be a way!! I'll do anything!!" Shigeru held her back.

"I can't do anything…I'm sorry…The only way to cure him is by making him drink dewdrop juice. It can be acquired if you have green crescent stones. Boil it in hot water and let him drink it. Once you have done it, he should heal up in no time." He explained.

"I can do that!! So where do I get these so called crescent stones?"

The brunette placed his hand on her shoulder. "It's impossible to get them. Why can't you just accept it? The green crescent stones are owned by really powerful elves, they live deep in the woods not far from this village. That's not just it. In order to get the stones from them, you have to fight them. I heard no one has ever defeated them…ever. It's a battle to the end…You can't risk your life for this one!! Even Natsume won't allow you to!!"

"He's right miss…even if you attempt to get it…you might end up losing your life." The doctor frowned. "I'll be going now…It's your decision if you're getting it or not. Your fate lies on this choice. Good luck." He exited the room leaving the three of them inside.

"I'm going." Mikan stood confidently and surely.

"Are you out of your mind?!? You'll lose everything! What about your mission?! The academy's fate rests on your hands!!" Shigeru yelled.

"I won't lose anything. The task that Persona gave us requires that we have each other. If Natsume dies…fighting against the academy will be useless because I'll die as well. It's either we continue together, or we both die. It's as simple as that." She said with a determined voice.

"I guess there's no stopping you now…" he smiled at her. "Don't worry…I'll come with you. I'll just get some things packed up." He left the room hastily to get some stuff prepared.

"Baka…come…here." Natsume called out.

"Natsume-kun…" she walked closer and sat beside him. "I know you'll stop me from gong but…"

"I'm not stopping you. Even if I'll try…you won't follow. Just make sure you'll come back, okay?" he smiled.

Mikan nodded. "Don't let go…I'll come back. I promise..." she gave him a small peck on the cheek before leaving the room. Natsume blushed… "I am definitely NOT in love!" he frowned. "But please…Take care…"

She stepped down the stairs and saw Shigeru waiting by the door way, holding a pink paper bag. "You might want to change…" he blushed handing it to her shyly. Mikan looked at her clothes and realized that she was still wearing pajamas. Her cheeks turned pink.

"Whoops…Thank you…" she bowed and changed inside the bathroom.

After changing, she walked out wearing a pink shirt matched with light brown short pants which was up to her knees wrapped with a pink belt. Finally, she wore pink sneakers on her feet. The brunette blushed upon seeing her.

"How do I look?" Mikan asked in her usual expression.

"Y-you l-look cute…" he shook his head and then chuckled. "Are you ready?"

She smiled widely at him. "Let's go!!"

**-End Chapter-**

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I know its reaaallly short…but how was it? Please do review…I'll update sooner if I get more reviews… (Grin) Well…Till the next chapter!

Ta ta:)


	6. Chapter 6: Worried

**Catch Me, I'm falling for you**

Here we go; this is chapter 6… :) Thank you for the reviews… Enjoy!!

Niane Anne Marie: thanks for the quadruple review:))

Blackrose816, don't worry I got meaner surprises in mind! Wahahaaha!

Disclaimer: I, yuuri727, solemnly swear that I do not own Alice academy.

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**Chapter 6: Worried**

"What do you see?" Reo asked impatiently.

"Natsume is suffering under a deadly fever. Mikan and her new friend are out venturing in the woods looking for the green crescent stones. I have to say, they are both in a dangerous condition." Serina explained emotionlessly.

Reo frowned. "What? Getting them killed by someone else is not part of the plan. ..But…Who cares? Let them die. Whatever happens, we're ready. How about those three? Where are they?"

"I'm sure they are still patrolling Mikan and Natsume's love necklace."

"Everything's still cool. We have plenty of time to spear. Isn't that right Narumi?" he squeezes his face with an evil grin.

"Yes…Reo…Everything's under control." Narumi answered him flatly.

"Although I'm still curious about Sakura, Isn't she the daughter of _that_ person?" he smirked again. "I'll know sooner or later…"

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In front of the woods…

"Let's go, Shigeru. There's no time to waste." Mikan tugged his shirt a little stubbornly.

"Shouldn't you be at least…Worrying?" he looked down.

She slightly tilted her head. "Worrying? Why should I? Is it still about my life?"

"Well…yeah…I mean…"

"Come on!!! Stop worrying!" she squeezes his cheeks. "Just think of it as a heroic deed for the academy. Come to think of it, I just realized you were cute…but…because of that frown, I think I'm taking that back." She grinned playfully at him. "You still gonna frown?"

A faint smile started to curl. "Okay, okay…you convinced me enough already." He removes Mikan's hand from his cheek. "Come on…"

"Yeyyyy!!!" she grabs his hand and pulls him towards the woods. "Let's do this together." She smiled.

His face started burning up again. _"Damn…I'm blushing!!! I can feel it. I hope she doesn't notice." _He thought.

"Shigeru-kun, Are you sick or something? Your face is all red!" she places her hand on his forehead. "You should've told me you were sick…"

His cheeks started to grow redder when Mikan got close to him. "N-noo!! I-I'm f-f-fine!! I-I-I…w-w-w-ell…I'm fine, Mikan…Let's go…"

"Okay…if you say so…"

"_This is the perfect time for bonding…I think…"_

The two of them happily marched their way inside the deep dark woods.

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Back inside the room, Natsume was still groaning in pain. He couldn't stand up or move an inch where he was staying.

"_Why did I actually let Mikan go to that adventure?"_

"_Where was she headed again?"_

"_That's right…To the woods, to get those green crescent stones…"_

"_She has to fight those powerful elves…to get it…"_

"_She's also with that Shigeru, which I never really saw fighting during combat…"_

"_Damn…That idiot will never survive…I'm pretty helpless…I couldn't stand up…nor fight…That stupid girl…why did I even let her go there? Oh well…I just hope that Shigeru has something that's worth it…If only I could just stand up…"_

From outside…a familiar blonde teen gazed at him.

"Nat-sume…" he whispered emotionlessly, trying so hard to regain control of himself…

"_We have an unbreakable bond of friendship…Reo….shouldn't….interfere with it..."_ He couldn't break away from his control, no matter how hard he tried to resist it.

"Polkadots…Mikan…" the raven-haired boy tried standing up no matter how painful it was. "_For Ruka, Imai, and all the others…I must fight…"_ he thought, limping his way to the door, but his vision was 10 times more blurry than a normal person waking up, his face was 27 shades of red, and his wounds and bruises haven't healed up yet.

"You're still in a bad condition…Don't…Natsume…" the blonde whispered.

"Baka…that baka…will die…I'm sure of it…I…must…get….up…I must…get to the woods…" he still limped and struggled to fight the pain burning inside him.

He held onto a wall for support and continued to hobble across the room to the door. "Too much use of Alice?...I'm…really gonna die before I get there…but then…I won't be able to show her…that place…" he shook his head "Why am I actually…thinking about her?"

_Face the truth, Natsume…You love her…_

"No! Who would fall for an idiot like her?...Not me…" he was already by the hallway, still trembling in pain. That blonde suddenly got his consciousness back. "Natsume?! I have no time to waste."

He jumped on a tree, away from the house. "I have to find…Sakura-san…She…may be the one to help Natsume heal up…It's the least I can do…I won't let him die…"

"I just…won't"

--

"_Natsume…If there is no choice left…You take your own life. Promise me that. You don't know the consequence that your friends might endure…"_

"_Promise me that you'll still be alive!!"_

"I can't take…this anymore…" The raven-haired boy suddenly stumbled in the middle of the staircase; he fell up to the ground. After a while…He realized he was already coughing out blood. His vision started to blur…The world seemed to turn around on him…

"Mi…kan…gomenasai…gomenasai…MIIKKKAANNN!!!!"

"_What's the point of living if the only thing I'm good at is causing pain?"_

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"Achoo!" Mikan rubbed her nose lightly. "That was sudden."

"Someone must be thinking of you…" Shigeru assumed.

"Really? Do you have any idea who it is??" she bounced happily.

He placed his hands inside his pocket. "Hmmmm….give me number from 1-28."

"14!! That's my favorite number!!!" she grinned widely.

"What's the 14th letter of the alphabet?"

"It's…N…Natsume?! Could it be him?!" her eyes grew widely.

"Maybe, He does care for you a lot…"

She frowned and looked down sadly. "I'm really worried about him…I have his bad feeling inside me…that…"

Shigeru placed his hand on her shoulder gently. "No frowning, Mikan…You will save him right?"

"Yeah…I'll get there in time…I'm sure of it…as long as he doesn't do anything stupid like struggling to follow me or something…"

"Can I ask you something…?" The brunette blushed lightly.

"Hm? What is it?" Mikan titled her head.

"What's the faint glow on your neck, some kind of stone or something?"

"Ah, the love necklace, Natsume has the other half. Well…you see…a guy named Persona gave this to us the night the academy got all corrupted. This necklace allows two people to merge souls once their bond is strong enough…then once our bond is stron-" He pulled her and hid behind a bush with his hand covered her mouth firmly.

"Shhh…something's coming and I don't think it's very friendly…" he peeked slightly what it was and it seemed to be a huge dragon. It had green slimy scales and looked hungry.

"Swgru, I cwn't bweth!! Wt gwo!! (Shigeru, I can't breathe!! Let go!!)" Mikan wiggled stubbornly.

"There's a dragon Mikan! Keep quiet!" he whispered softly. Mikan was looking at him direct at the face. She then, saw the dragon behind Shigeru, looking at him hungrily. Her eyes widened and started pointing the dragon.

"Swgru!! Bwnd wyo!! Twe dwgon!!!! Ts gwna weat wyo!!! (Shigeru!! Behind you!! The dragon!!!! It's gonna eat you!!)" She was wavering in fear.

"I know there's a dragon that's why you have to keep quiet." He hushed again.

"Wno! Wook! Wook!" when she was finally able to get out of Shigeru's grasp, she ran immediately with no word.

"What's up with her?!" He then felt drool stream down his shoulders. He froze, the he looked what was behind him. It really was the dragon! He also ran as fast as he could.

"Run for your life!!!" the two of them yelled, running to different directions just to get away from the dragon. Then, in front of them, there was an intersection, they didn't care where they were going so they went on separate paths, the roads were narrow so the giant green scaly fiend wasn't able to follow.

Mikan continued to run and run and run…Above her, the blond teen followed her through the treetops. After seemingly hours of running, the woods grew dark, the wild whispers of animals became louder, she them, got frightened. That was the time she realized Shigeru wasn't with her anymore.

"S-shigeruu…w-where are you?!" she called out, fear mixed with the tone of her voice.

She heard a sound of a stomping creature draw closer to where she was.

"Shigeru? Is that you?! Where are you?!"

There was no response.

She was shaking in fear. She really wasn't used to the dark; she sat down and wrapped her arms around her. "I'm scared…" Tears started to stream from her cheeks. "Someone…Anyone…Please help me…"

"_Am I giving up now? I'm giving up on Natsume? No…I can't…I mustn't…For the academy…But…I'm really scared…I can't go on any longer…"_

"Sakura-san, stop crying." Mikan glanced at him. It was the blonde teen…

It was him…

"Ruka-pyon?!" she looked at him. She was still afraid that he was still under Reo's control.

"Don't worry…I'm okay now…" he smiled. "I'm free from Reo…"

Without a word, Mikan rushed towards him and hugged him tightly.

"Ruka-pyon!! I'm scared! I don't where I am now, or where to go!! I'm lost! You have to help me…Me and Shigeru went on separate ways during the intersection…that's why we got lost and couldn't find each other. You have to help me get to the elves or else…Natsume will…"

Ruka squeezed her back tightly. "I know. I know…he'll die right? Don't worry, we'll get there somehow. Just don't cry…okay? It's awfully weird to see you crying. Let's go together, shall we?" he grabbed her hand and they walked carefully through the dark path.

"Ruka-pyon…How did you break free from Reo's spell?" she asked curiously.

"I saw Natsume by the window, he was suffering under high fever right?"

"Yeah…I just hope he didn't do anything stupid like trying to follow us or something…He might end up coughing out blood at the bottom of the stairs."

Ruka scratched his head. "Umm…I did see him trying to get up…but…I don't know where he went…"

"I'm really worried about him…Well it was my fault he got all beaten up like that…"

"At…the train…right?" his grasp on Mikan's hand became tighter.

"Yeah…When Tsubasa-senpai slapped me…he got all flared up…then…"

"I'm sorry, Mikan…It was my fault…if only I didn't get caught up in Reo's spell…things would have happened differently. I'm sorry…I'm sorry…"

"Hey, it's not your fault; you didn't want to get controlled in the first place, right? It's all an accident…it's no ones fault." Mikan smiled.

"But...are you really sure it's okay?" he questioned again.

"Affirmative, sir!" she placed her hands on her forehead like a soldier. The two of them chuckled in the situation. "Well…anyway, do you have any idea where Reo's main hideout is? Where the rest of the academy is?"

"I…" she raised an eyebrow, waiting impatiently for an answer.

"I…"

"I really haven't seen it yet…The last thing I remembered was when Reo ordered us to watch over you until you and Natsume have developed the 'bond' that necklace needs, then we kidnap you and take you to his hideout. That's the time when we ambushed your train. We knew if the travel would take longer, the more chance you could talk with each other…That's about it…" he explained.

She blinked her eyes in amazement. "I really have to be careful. They'll use me as blackmail material for Natsume."

"Yup, I think so…I guess that's the plan…Once he has gained control of Natsume, he can destroy everything. Imai-san is still under his control…but I have no idea where they went."

They walked and walked and walked…hand in hand, both trying to keep up the courage inside them.

"I wonder where Shigeru is…" Mikan looked up.

"Who's Shigeru?" Ruka raised a brow

"He's my friend. He came with me because he was afraid that I might die with the battle against those elves. The sad thing is…Natsume hates him."

"He's worried about you…" he smirked. "Where'd you meet?"

"At the train…by the food cart."

"How'd you got close?"

"We stayed in his rest house when we got damaged after the train crash."

"He brought you there?"

"Yeah."

"I have now come to a conclusion." He grinned.

"What conclusion?!"

"Shigeru-kun likes you!!" he giggled.

"Ha ha…as if! Who would fall for someone like me?" Mikan looked away. He laughed again. "What's so funny?" she pouted.

"Oh nothing…" He smiled. _"I love you, Mikan. Don't blurt out things like that."_ He thought.

Suddenly, they heard sounds of creatures celebrating some ritual or something. They hid inside a bush and peeked what it could be. It was the group of powerful elves, jumping and dancing around a huge bonfire. By the totem pole, in the middle of the bonfire, there was a familiar teen tied up tightly. It was their brunette friend, all covered in scars and bruises.

"Shigeru-kun?! What is he doing there?!" Mikan asked with a worried expression on her face.

"They're celebrating…I don't know why, but I think they'll be feasting on your Shigeru, Mikan."

The elves continued doing their rituals, and focused their attention merely on Shigeru. Mikan started to worry more.

"What?! They can't do that!! We have to do something!! Ruka-pyon! Let's go!" She stood up but Ruka pulled her back down.

"We'll do something. But attacking now isn't the best time. We have to make a strategy or something. Attacking like in berserk mode won't do us any good. We might also end up like him."

Mikan sat back down stubbornly. "Got any bright ideas?"

He smirked at her confidently. "I do Mikan, I do…"

**-End Chapter-**

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Tada!! What do you think?! I have to admit…This is the longest chapter I made so far. I'd like to hear some comments…Please do review if you have time! I'll update soon. :) Until then,

Adios.


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